driftfleet | SS Pathstone Mingle

[ With their accounts still locked, Elize had already been under the assumption that the majority of the crew has been occupied regaining their funds. She has been keeping busy too, which has kept her from feeling down when the others are working.

But when she sees Cole on the ship, she's already racing in his direction to give him a hug. It's not even a hug because she's feeling upset this time, like she was the past month. She's only genuinely happy to see him. If he's carrying any paints at the moment, sorry about that. ]

[The paints are dropped. They're still sealed, it doesn't matter. He bends to scoop her up as she pounces, holding her tight and close and feeling her happiness bubble and fizz about them.]

Hello, Elize.

[ She's given a brief start, but starts to giggle with delight as he scoops her up. In return, she hugs him as tight as she can and lifts her head back slightly to look at him. ]

Hello!

[ Then finally she realizes she must have made him drop those paints. ]

...oh. I'm sorry about that.

It's all right. It didn't hurt the paint.

[He doesn't put her down. Sometimes, hints of Cole peek out, reminding him how to be a big brother.]

[ Well, she's quickly back to smiling.

And she has no objections with being carried. Even if she openly protested about it, it would have been a lie. She likes being carried like this. ]

Were you going to paint some more? Do you need help carrying the paints? I can help!

I was going to give some of them to Solas, so he can keep painting. He paints a lot nicer than I do.

Wasn't he teaching you painting before? Maybe he can help you paint your room.

Yes, but he went away for a long time and I don't remember new skills well.

You can ask him to teach you again.

[ A pause, then her voice goes unnecessarily quiet into a whisper. She's not even sure why she's whispering question. ]

Do you think he can teach me too? I've never painted before.

He'd probably teach you. He likes me and Jove, so he'll try to get to know you and once he knows you, he'll like you.

I talked to him once before, a long time ago. I hope we can be friends.

[Cole isn't sure Solas has friends. He doesn't even know if Solas would call him a friend. He called Wisdom a friend, before she was destroyed by the mages, warped into Pride.]

He'll remember. He remembers lots of things. Too many things, sometimes.

[ They get along. She believes they're friends. ]

I remember lots of things too!

[ Well, with an exception of detailed information about her own past. But her memory is impeccable about most things after that. ]

Like what you told me about the spirits of virtue. I told him about it.

[ She sounds so proud of it too. ]

[And Cole won't disabuse her of that. Neither will Solas, because he is usually kind, even if he doesn't have friends.]

A lot of what I know about other spirits and about me, I know because of Solas. He taught me, told me.

He did?

[ She recalls repeating the exact same words that Cole told her to Solas. She was afraid of boring him by telling him things he already knew, but he was kind to her about it. ]

...And then you taught me! He's a good teacher.

He is. He'd be glad to know that what he taught me as been taught to other people.

I'll let him know what else you taught me! I-... I want to learn so much more too...

For when you go to Thedas.

[Because he had faith they'd work something out. Get Elize there.]

I don't think I can teach you much. I don't really understand mortal culture.

[ A head shake. ]

You don't have to tell me about mortal culture. You can tell me about anything.

[ Her depression had brought her down in the past month, but she has been trying to keep her hopes up now. Trying to believe she'd reach Thedas in some way to reunite with her father.

She'd been learning to write in common tongue, though it's not just for when she goes to Thedas. Cullen had left behind a letter for her and she was unable to fully understand it without Jove's help. She wants to be able to write back to him, while she's waiting for her time on the fleet. What she has been up to, how everyone's doing, about the people she meets, about the places she has been going to, a lot of different things, anything... ]

[It's a good thing Cole doesn't get hold of this letter. The emotions would probably be too much.]

I don't know a lot. I haven't been on this side of the veil very long. Only... a few years. And the things I know aren't always very nice and Cullen would yell at me if I told you about them.

After I was released from the laboratory and the shack in Hamil, I've only been traveling the world with my friends for a little less than a year. I don't know a lot either... but I'm always learning something new! We can learn new things together and tell each other about it.

[ She frowns, then sticks her nose up in the air with a bit of haughtiness. She can be sassy at Cullen if she wants... ]

I'll keep the bad things a secret from him. I can handle it. I won't let Daddy yell at you.

[Nothing will make Cole divulge the horrors of Thedas. The children of Thedas have to grow up too hard and fast. And some things.... there are things no child needs to know.]

Did they tell you about the Blight?

[That she will need to know about and maybe it will make her feel like he's sharing the darkness.]

[ Cullen was overprotective of her. He would get uncomfortable whenever she grew curious about the darker side of Thedas, like the treatment of mages and the circles. ]

No... this is the first time I've ever heard of it.

[ Already she's suspecting it's nothing good, but she's bracing herself to hear whatever it is. ]

[He takes her to her personnel room and sits her down.]

Wait, I'll be back and explain then.

[He dropped his paints. And the other presents in the bag. He flickers to go and grab them first before coming back.]

[ When he returns, she's sitting on her couch, hands propped on her lap. Quiet and patient. ]

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